Dampened lateral motion freight car truck bolster



C. E. TACK May 31, 1966 DAMPENED LATERAL MOTION FREIGHT CAR TRUCK BOLSTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed May 24. 1961 c. E. TACK 3,

DAMPENED LATERAL MOTION FREIGHT CAR TRUCK BOLSTER May 31, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 24, 1961 [flue/7280)".- Carl 5. Ta CA C. E. TACK May 31, 1966 DAMPL NED LATERAL MOTION FREIGHT CAR TRUCK BOLSTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed May 24, 1961 fivmentor:

C. E. TACK May 31, 1966 DAMPENED LATERAL MOTION FREIGHT CAR TRUCK BOLSTER Original Filed May 24, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 y 1, 1966 c. E. TACK 3,253,554

DAMPENED LATERAL MOTION FREIGHT CAR TRUCK BOLSTER Original Filed May 24, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 .ffil/"/VfO/ Card 5. Tac/r United States Patent 3,253,554 DAMPENED LATERAL MOTION FREIGHTCAR TRUCK BOLSTER Carl E. Tack, Elmhurst, Ill., assignor to Amsted Industries Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Original application May 24, 1961, Ser. No. 112,274, now Patent No. 3,141,421, dated July 21, 1964. Divided and this application May 11, 1964, Ser. No. 366,577 2 Claims. (Cl. 105-193) of the wheel and axle assemblies, and such movements would be transmitted through the bolster to the car body and the contents thereof.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a truck structure for a railway car in which the car body is supported for lateral motion relative to the truck side frames.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a railway car truck embodying a bolster structure adapted to support a car body for lateral movement relative to the truck side frames.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a railway truck structure comprising a main bolster interconnecting the side frames and an auxiliary bolster mounted on the main bolster to engage and support the car body, the auxiliary bolster being supported on the main bolster for movement transversely of the side frames.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of railway car truck in which an auxiliary bolster is supported on a main bolster by means of swing hangers.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a railway car truck in which the auxiliary bolster is supported on the main bolster by means of resilient material, such as rubber.

The invention embodies other novel features, details of construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter set forth in the specification and claims. and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof, wherein: v

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a truck structure embodying features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation showing a swing hanger;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation showing a bottom connector; 1

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the connector;

FIGURE 5 is top plan view of same;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse section taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1, the bolster structure being shown in side elevation;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view showing one end of the bolster structure, the side frame being shown in section;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the auxiliary bolster;

FIGURE 9 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the main bolster;

FIGURE 10 is a section taken along the line 1010 of FIGURE 6;

.URES 1, 2 and 10).

ice

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, showing a modified form of the invention in which horizontal rubber pads are provided on the main bolster to resiliently support the auxiliary bolster adjacent the ends;

FIGURE 12 is a section taken along the line 12-12 of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a section, corresponding to FIGURE 12, showing another modified form of the invention in which the auxiliary bolster is biased into frictional engagement against the main bolster;

FIGURE 14 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 11 showing another embodiment of the invention in which inclined rubber pads are provided on the main bolster to resiliently support the auxiliary bolster.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention and more particularly to FIG- URES 1 to 10 therein, the railway truck is shown as comprising side frames 20-20' adapted to be supported at their ends upon Wheel and axle assemblies journaled in conventional journal boxes. Each side frame comprises tension and compression members 22 and 24 interconnected by spaced columns 23--23 to define an opening 26 to receive one end of a bolster structure 14 which is resiliently supported upon a spring group 28 seated on the tension member.

The bolster structure 14 is shown as comprising a main bolster 16 in the form of a one-piece metal casting having end portions 3030 disposed in the openings 2626 in the side frames 20-20. The main' bolster 16' is provided with a recess or depression 32 in its upper surface for receiving the king pin socket of the auxiliary bolster as described below, and additionally includes a plurality of transversely spaced wall elements as shown in FIG- URE 10 for accommodating the swing hangers. This wall construction includes side wall elements 34 and a central wall element 36 defining cells or recesses 38 for receiving the swing hangers now identified as 40 (FIG The wall elements 34 and 36 are provided with apertures 42 (FIGURE 10) for receiving a pin 44 for supporting the swing hangers, which have apertures 46 at their upper end (see FIGURES 2 and 10) receiving the pin 44. The pin is confined in the apertures by plates 48 welded to the outer surfaces of the wall elements 34.

The specific shape of the swing hangers is shown in FIGURE 2 where it will be seen that each hanger has an aperture 50 at its lower end for receiving the end portions of the bottom connector 52. This aperture is elongated vertically or in the direction of the length'of the hanger and its bottom surface may be rounded in transverse direction as shown at 54 for receiving complementally shaped surfaces in the form of recesses 56 in the under surface of the bottom connector 52 (FIGURE 3). The bottom connector, as seen in FIGURES 3, 4, and 5, has a central body portion 58 in the bottom surface of which are formed the recesses 56 mentioned above, and has end portions 60 having top bearing surfaces 62 for sup-porting the auxiliary bolster as explained below. Outwardly of the bearing surfaces 62 are stop elements 64 engaged by the edge of the auxiliary bolster for aiding in retaining the bottom connector in position.

The auxiliary bolster 18 is shown in its entirety in FIGURE 8 and is generally inverted U-shape having side wall elements 66 straddling the main bolster. The

auxiliary bolster 18 is provided with a socket 68 for receiving the king pin of the car, this socket extending into the recess 32 in the main bolster 16 provided for that purpose as mentioned above. The auxiliary bolster is shorter than the main bolster as will be observed in FIGURES 6 to 9, the end of the main bolster extending into the side frame and the auxiliary bolster terminating at a point inboardly of but adjacent to the side frame. The wall elements 34 and 36 of the main bolster (FIG- URE are located at this point whereby support for the auxiliary bolster is provided at the ends of the latter. To prevent separation of the auxiliary bolster 18 from the main bolster 16, straps 10-10 extend through openings in the side walls of the bolsters and secured at their ends by means of bolts 1111 to bosses 1212 formed on the outer sides of the auxiliary bolster.

The auxiliary bolster is supported by bearing members 70 which, as shown in FIGURE 6, are separate elements from the auxiliary bolster but welded thereto. These bearing members (omitted from FIGURE 8) each includes a semi-circular or curved, downwardly concave bearing surface 72 which engages one of the bearing surfaces 62 (FIGURE 3) on the bottom connector 52. Each bearing member 70 includes a web element 74 butted to the bottom edge of the auxiliary bolster and welded thereto and serving as the means by which the member is directly connected to the bolster. If desired, the bearing member may be provided with a projection 76 (FIGURE 10) and the auxiliary bolster with a recess 78 for receiving the projection for providing an interlocking connection between the bearing member and auxiliary bolster.

The bearing members 70, provided as separate elements from the auxiliary bolster, provide several advantages. One such advantage is that these members, which receive the wear caused by the movement between the two bolsters, may be removed after being worn and replaced 'by other members and thus the auxiliary bolster as a whole may continue in use. Another advantage is that the bearing surfaces 72 may be made of greater axial length (FIGURE 10) than could be provided by the wall element 66 of the auxiliary bolster and thus aid in accommodating wearing. A third advantage is that the bearing members 70 may be selected from various sizes and shapes of bearing members for positioning the swing hangers 40 at the desired angle, i.e., whether straight vertical, or angled outwardly. As explained below, the straight vertical direction is preferred but a range of angular positions is provided for and it is withiri the scope of the invention to position the hangers at any position within that range. The auxiliary bolster is supported on the main bolster entirely by the swing hangers, and by forces acting in vertical planes extending longitudinally of the bolsters.

Relative motion between the main bolster and auxiliary bolster, longitudinally of the bolster, is occasioned by the movement of the main bolster in response to sidewise movement of the side frames and the inertia of the auxiliary bolster and the car supported there-by. FIG- URE 6 shows the swing hangers 40 disposed in straight vertical position. This figure shows the various members in a normal rest position and the length of the auxiliary bolster and the location of the hanger pin 44 are such as to accomplish that vertical positioning of the hangers. The relative movement between the main bolster and auxiliary bolster is indicated diagrammatically by the dotdash line 80 which represents the end edge of the auxiliary bolster in an extreme shifted position. The auxiliary bolster has a projection or stop element 82 which is positioned for engaging a stop 84 formed on the main bolster to provide means for positively limiting the relative movement between the bolsters, it being understood that such an extreme position will be reached only under extreme conditions and that normally the relative movement will be less than the range represented by the location of the stop 84.

Tests have proved that the bolster arrangement is operative and accomplishes satisfactory results when the swing hangers 40 assume positions throughout a range up to as much as 11 inclination as represented by the axis line 86. However, as noted, the straight vertical normal position is preferred. The mounting arrangement including the swing hangers effectively prevents relative movement between the bolsters in direction transversely thereof.

FIGURES 11 to 14 show modified forms of bolster arrangement including a main bolster and auxiliary bolster arranged for relative movement therebetween. The arrangement includes a main bolster similar in all material respects to the main bolster 16 except that there need not be any provision for supporting swing hangers. The mainbolster 90 includes an end portion 92 for positioning in the side frame and support therein. The arrangement includes an auxiliary bolster 94 similar in all material respects to the auxiliary bolster 18 except that, in this case also, there need not be any provision for supporting it by the swing hangers.

Interposed between the main bolster 90 and the auxiliary bolster 94 are blocks 96 of resilient material, such as rubber. Each block may be secured in place as by vulcanizing it to plates 98 and 100 secured to the main bolster and auxiliary bolster, respectively, by any suitable means. In response to movement of the main bolster produced by movement of the side frames, in direction longitudinally of the bolster, relative movement between the main bolster and auxiliary bolster is dampened by the blocks of rubber 96. Stop means 106 may be provided for engagement by a stop element 108 on the auxiliary bolster for a purpose similar to the stop 84 described in connection with FIGURE 6.

The resilient means, or blocks of rubber, 96 yieldably resists and dampens relative movement between the main bolster and auxiliary bolster. To frictionally dampen relative movements of the bolsters, as shown in FIGURE 12, a shank or bolt 110 is inserted through apertures in the wall elements of the main bolster and auxiliary bolster. It has a head 112 engaging an element of the main bolster and on its extended end exterior to the auxiliary bolster a compression spring 114 is interposed between the wall element of the auxiliary bolster and a nut 116 threaded on the bolt. Matching wear plates 118 and 120 are secured to opposed surfaces of the bolsters and the compression spring 114 is operative for oppositely biasing the main bolster and auxiliary bolster for bringing the wear, plates into friction engagement. Thus, the bolster members are yieldably retained in engagement to provide a snubbing action by the two wear plates in direction longitudinally of the bolsters.

The construction of FIGURE 13 is the same in principle as that of FIGURE 12 but differs in detail arrangement. The bolt 110 extends through the entire assembly of bolster wall elements and the head 112 engages the outer surface of one. of the wall elements of the auxiliary bolster. The extended end of the bolt projects exteriorly beyond the opposite side of the auxiliary bolster Where the compression spring 114 acts through a sleeve 122 and enagages an inner element of the main bolster. The resulting dampening action in both cases is the same FIGURE 14 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which blocks of rubber 96a are engaged between plates 98a and 100a having parallel opposing inclined surfaces. This embodiment of the invention is otherwise similar to the embodiment of FIGURE 11.

I claim:

1. In a self-aligning spring plankless railway car truck, spaced side frames supported at their ends upon Wheel and axle assemblies, said side frames comprising tension and compression members interconnected by spaced vertical columns to define windows, spring groups seated on said tension members, a truck bolsted interconnecting said sid frames and resiliently supported on said spring groups, said bolster having a top wall and spaced side walls, resilient pads mounted on said bolster, and auxiliary bolster of inverted U-shape having a top element and depending side wall elements, supported on the truck bolster in straddling relation thereto with its top element directly engaging said resilient pads at its ends and supported thereby, and its side wall elements depending closely adjacent the spaced side walls of the truck bolster, one of the depending side wall elements of the auxiliary bolster and one side wall of the truck bolster having interfacing friction surfaces at the ends of the auxiliary bolster lying in vertical planes extending longitudinally of the bolsters, bolts secured to the truck bolster and extending through openings in said side wall elements and said spaced side walls at said friction surfaces, and spring means surrounding the bolts and reacting between the auxiliary bolster and the bolts and operative to maintain said friction surfaces in abutting frictional engagement, and thereby effective for resisting relative movement of the bolsters longitudinally thereof .and for preventing relative rocking movement thereof about vertical axis intermediate the ends of the auxiliary bolster.

2. In a self-aligning spring plankless railway car truck, spaced side frames supported at their ends upon wheel and axle assemblies, said side frames comprising tension and compression members interconnected by spaced vertical columns to define windows, spring groups seated on said tension members, a truck bolster interconnecting said side frames and resiliently supported on said spring groups, said bolster having a top wall and spaced side walls, resilient pads mounted on said bolster, an auxiliary bolster of inverted U-shape having a top element and depending side Wall elements, supported on the truck bolster in straddling relation thereto with its top element directly engaging said resilient pads at its ends and supported thereby, and its side wall elements depending closely adjacent the spaced side walls of the truck bolster, one of the depending side wall elements of the auxiliary bolster and one side wall of the truck bolster having interfacing friction surfaces at the ends of the auxiliary bolster lying in vertical planes extending longitudinally of the bolster, bolts secured to the auxiliary bolster and extending through openings at said friction surfaces, and spring means surrounding the bolts and reacting between the truck bolster and the bolts and operative to maintain the friction surfaces in abutting frictional engagement, and.

thereby effective for resisting relative movement of the bolsters longitudinally thereof and for preventing relative rocking movement thereof about vertical axis intermediate the ends of the auxiliary bolster.

References Cited by the Examiner ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

MILTON BUCHLER, Examiner.

H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A SELF-ALIGNING SPRING PLANKLESS RAILWAY CAR TRUCK, SPACED SIDE FRAMES SUPPORTED AT THEIR ENDS UPON WHEEL AND AXLE ASSEMBLIES, SAID SIDE FRAMES COMPRISING TENSION AND COMPRESSION MEMBERS INTERCONNECTED BY SPACED VERTICAL COLUMNS TO DEFINE WINDOWS, SPRING GROUPS SEATED ON SAID TENSION MEMBERS, A TRUCK BOLSTED INTERCONNECTING SAID SID FRAMES AND RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED ON SAID SPRING GROUPS, SAID BOLSTER HAVING A TOP WALL AND SPACED SIDE WALLS, RESILIENT PADS MOUNTED ON SAID BOLSTER, AND AUXILIARY BOLSTER OF INVERTED U-SHAPE HAVING A TOP ELEMENT AND DEPENDING SIDE WALL ELEMENTS, SUPPORTED ON THE TRUCK BOLSTER IN STRADDLING RELATION THERETO WITH ITS TOP ELEMENT DIRECTLY ENGAGING SAID RESILIENT PADS AT ITS ENDS AND SUPPORTED THEREBY, AND ITS SIDE WALL ELEMENTS DEPENDING CLOSELY ADJACENT THE SPACED SIDE WALLS OF THE TRUCK BOLSTER, ONE OF THE DEPENDING SIDE WALL ELEMENTS OF THE AUXILIARY BOLSTER AND ONE SIDE WALL OF THE TRUCK BOLSTER HAVING IN TERFACING FRICTION SURFACES AT THE ENDS OF THE AUXILIARY BOLSTER LYING IN VERTICAL PANES EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY 